Enigmatic Breakdown
by Three Faces Of Eve
Summary: Cassidy is Sirius Black's shy daughter.  Transferring to Hogwarts in her fifth year Prisoner of Azkaban she finds herself friends with the Weasley twins.  What happens when she discovers who her father is? Can she choose between Fred and George?
1. The Knights of the Round Table

Disclaimer: Do not own Harry Potter, don't own the wonderful Monty Python, but I do own Cassidy and original supporting characters.

**Chapter One**

_**Centurion**__: You know the penalty laid down by Roman law for harboring a known criminal?  
__**Matthias**__: No.  
__**Centurion**__: Crucifixion!  
__**Matthias**__: Oh.  
__**Centurion**__: Nasty, eh?  
__**Matthias**__: Could be worse.  
__**Centurion**__: What you mean "Could be worse"?  
__**Matthias**__: Well, you could be stabbed.  
__**Centurion**__: Stabbed? Takes a second. Crucifixion lasts hours. It's a slow, horrible death.  
__**Matthias**__: Well, at least it gets you out in the open air.  
__**Centurion**__: You're weird!_

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Cassidy stared around her. This was King's Cross Station, and she was going to the Wizarding School, Hogwarts.

Meekly, she wove her way through the clumps of people, making her way into the train, and searching for a compartment.

She had stringy black hair that had slight waves in it and wend half way down her neck. Her bangs fell into her hazel eyes, framed by thick lashes that gave her a look of child-like innocence. Her lips were full and pale, only a few shades pinker than her deathly pale skin.

Shuffling into an empty compartment, she dragged out a book just as three boys shoved their ways into the little room.

Two of them were obviously twins, the other a black boy. All of them looked healthy and active, laughter spilling from them as they cackled over something to do with dungbombs.

Cassidy felt sick with anxiety, shrinking into herself as they spotted her.

"Ah, hello. Mind if we sit here?" one of the red-headed twins asked her.

She blinked, staring at them for a bit, and then when finally able to find her voice, responded with a stuttering "go ahead."

The other twin stuck out his hand, and she gripped his hand firmly, trying to find an ounce of courage… They seemed like nice guys.

"I'm George Weasley; this is my less intelligent brother, Fred."

"Oy! You shut it!" Somehow, a shouting match turned into a brawl, and Cassidy watched amused, though slightly freaked out.

The other boy shook her hand. "I'm Lee, Lee Jordan. I'm the brains of the operation, no matter what these two oafs tell you."

She grinned at him. "Cassidy Williams…"

"What year are you gonna be in, Cass?" George (at least she thought it was him) asked her. Apparently they had stopped punching each other long enough to hear her name.

"Fifth." She spoke in her thick Czech accent.

"Oh, us too! That's great."

"What House are you in; I've never seen you around before?"

She looked at her hands. "I uh… Don't go to Hogwarts. I mean, I didn't. I went to Beauxbatons."

"But… you're accent isn't French." Lee stated, curious.

"No, I was born and raised in the Czech Republic… But my parents were British."

"Oh, that's cool. So why are you going to school at Hogwarts then?"

"Ah… family difficulties. Yes." She smiled softly at them, and the three adolescents knew well enough to leave it at that.

They talked for awhile, and then the lights went out.

"Um… You guys, what's going on? Why are the lights out? Are we there?"

Fred looked over to his twin, whose worried creases were sure to match his own.

"No, love. We shouldn't be there yet."

"Oh no… What's happening?" Cassidy bit back a sob. She just felt so absolutely alone, like there was nothing good in the world left… Images from her past flicked through her mind, and she whimpered.

"Cass, are you alright?" George asked his new friend.

"Mm mm." She shook her head furiously, and he leaned over from his seat across from her and took her hand. Fred took her other.

"I'm going to go have a look around." Lee said, leaning out the door. "You two keep an eye on her, okay?" They were obviously all freaked out, but Cassidy was having an especially hard time.

'Scoot over, love.' Cassidy moved away from the train's wall, and George took her seat. Both boys had taking on soft tones, trying to calm her down. She was sweating, and her hands were shaking.

She really was a meek little girl sometimes.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"What in the world are _those_?" Cassidy stared, fascinated, and the horse-like beasts. They had wings, and to her horror (and fascinations) she could see their ribs. Their blank white eyes contrasted eerily with their long black manes, and the morbid part of Cassidy (a surprisingly large part) found them strangely cute.

The Dementors (she had discovered that they were the cause for her breakdown) had left a while ago, and chocolate had been administered.

Her three male companions stared at her.

"What are what?" George asked her.

"You can't see them?" Cassidy was more than a little nervous… Was she going insane…_again_?

"They're thestrals… You can't see them unless you've seen someone die." A dreamy voice said from behind Cassidy, and she whirled around to meet wide eyes.

"_You've seen someone die?" _Fred, Lee and George practically shouted at the same time, drawing the attention of the students around them.

Cassidy ignored them, and addressed the little blonde girl. She had dreamy eyes and a blank smile, her skin was as pale as Cassidy's own, and the older girl realised she liked the look of this girl...They met eyes, even as a little ways over, a large hairy man was yelling something about 'Fir Trees.'

"Who're you?" she asked, softly.

"Luna Lovegood… And you're… Cassidy Williams. Please don't do that with your eyes, Fred, George, Lee. It attracts Silijiuhns." The three boys were bug-eyed, and Luna found this slightly amusing.

"How'd you know my name?" Cassidy was nervous again, even when speaking to someone about three years younger than her.

"Your wristband, of course." Cassidy had recieved this from her late Aunt, on her fifth birthday, and hadn't taken it off since the woman had died. She was slightly surprised by the girl having spot such a slight detail, especially since the bracelet was surrounded by many others, all with meaning behind them.

Cassidy nodded, and they exchanged smiles.

"Excuse me, you're Cassidy Williams?" A male voice asked from behind her. 'Why does everyone sneak up on me?' the paranoid part of Cassidy's brain asked.

She backed up, rotating. She really wished she was back home, safe in her bedroom surrounded by her books… It really was her home now, in her legal possession. How terrible.

She swallowed her treacherous tears down, and inclined her head and the ragged man who had addressed her.

"Uh… yes..? What do you want?" Cassidy found herself wishing that George and Fred were next to her, giving her silent support, and to her surprise, they moved up next to her. Luna was still watching them, but grinned and climbed into a carriage with a red-headed girl.

"I'm Remus Lupin. Professor Dumbledore had me check for you, so that I could help you up to the castle." She met his amber eyes nervously, and relaxed a little at their familiarity.

Familiar. Why were they familiar?

"Alright…"

They loaded up in one of the last carriages with Lee, Fred and George. The twins flanked her, and Remus set about explaining himself.

"Since I was coming by way of train anyway, Professor Dumbledore hoped that I would be able to take you up to the castle and pass you over to Professor McGonagall with no trouble. You are technically a fifth year, so you can't ride in the boats with the first years."

She nodded; her spine straight with anxiety.

"Also, you're too come to his office tomorrow before breakfast. I'm sure these nice boys can show you how to get there." He cast his amused gaze on the three protective boys.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Cassidy glanced around her, paranoid. She was in line with the first years, and she knew that she stood out. People were _staring_.

It was surprising how fast she became friends with the three boys from the compartment. They were warm and friendly and made her feel welcome. She hoped that she would be in their House.

Quietly humming 'Hall of the Mountain King,' she watched as the little blonde boy in front of her sat on a stool and a to-big hat was placed on his head. She had been awed by the Great Hall as soon as she entered it (which may or may not be the cause for her song choice) looking up at the ceiling and seeing stars instead of stone. If she squinted enough, she

"_Ravenclaw!"_

Three out of the four houses clapped, and Cassidy tensed. She wasn't sure she could do this, she wanted to go home... She wanted to go back to France, back to the comfortable blue silk and accents that _purred _sex.

"Williams, Cassidy."

The attention of all of the Great Hall was on her now, and her hands gripped each other anxiously as the hat was placed on her head.

'_Well… this is very interesting. A Black, this might be more of a challenge. What fun._

Cassidy blinked, 'You're talking to me?...' She was curious what he mean't by "Black." Though many people might think otherwise, she was not a stupid girl- she figured this had something to do with her father, considering her own last name was her mother's maiden name. It did not matter that she knew her father was British (one of the very few things she actually _did _know) because being raised in a Czech household, and then a French school, she didn't know much about British hierarchy.

'_How else am I going to sort you? Now let's see… You're kind and you like to please people… You could be a Hufflepuff, except for your affinity with trouble…_

'And the fact that I'm a procrastinator.' Cassidy figured she might as well be honest with herself and the hat- he probably would have brought it up anyway.

_ 'Yes, yes, that's an issue. Hmm.. you have a fierce love of learning- that would do well in Ravenclaw. __But there is also an ambition there… You come from a long line of Slytherins; you would be accepted into that house."_

'The one with the growly kids? I think I'll skip it... er. If I can?' Cassidy didn't know how this was supposed to work, she figured she should just let the hat do its job, but she feared that if she was sorted into Slytherin, its occupants would eat her alive.

_ Hmmm… Very well. You are... noble, very brave, you'd do the right thing even if it meant losing something... A bit of a troublemaker... OH, I always liked a challenge._

The students were getting antsy, breaking out in whispers about this mysterious older first year who took so long to be sorted.

'_You would do great things in both Ravenclaw and Gryffindor.'_

Cassidy sat nervously on her stool….

'_I think it'll be _**GRYFFINDOR**!' Cassidy blanched at the loud noise, almost toppling off the stool. The last word had been said aloud, and she found herself heading towards the house that was cheering the loudest.

"Cassie," Fred shouted (she knew it was Fred because of how he said her name). "Come sit over here!"

Fred and George scooted apart to allow her to sit down, and she got three big smiles.

"You're in Gryffindor! That's great; you're in the best house!" She smiled at Lee as he spoke, her heart calming down.

"So what do you think of Hoggy Hogwarts?" George asked her before shoving mashed potatoes in his mouth.

"Uh… It's amazing. The hat's a little spacey though." They chuckled at this, and Cassidy smiled to herself. It was nice to feel welcome.

A girl across from George gave him a look. It kind of freaked Cassidy out, but the girl was younger than her- it really shouldn't bother her.

"Oh, oh yeah. Those three lovely dorks across from us are Hermione Granger," he pointed at the stern girl, who smiled warmly at Cassidy, "My ickle brother Ronniekinns," this boy turned red and smiled at Cassidy before shooting a glare at George, "And Harry Potter."

There was a sort of drama to the way he said Harry Potter's name, as if almost expecting some sort of scene from her, but Cassidy just smiled softly at them, and stuck her hand out to each of them.

The Potter boy relaxed a bit, and everyone started chatting away. George threw a roll of bread at a red-headed boy down the table, and Fred laughed, telling Cassidy, "That's Percy, he's one of our older brothers. He's _Head Boooy_." As he said the last two words, he did some sort of mocking hand motions that involved flapping his fingers around.

She laughed. "One of your brothers?"

"Yeah, along with Ronniekins and Perce, there's Charlie; he works with dragons in Romania, Bill; who's a curse-breaker for Gringotts, and our littlest, Ginny, who is the only girl." He spoke, throwing something at that sibling, grinning as she gave him a glare.

"Oh wow, poor girl. She must be going crackers having to deal with you two."

Ron started laughing across from her, his face turning purple, and Harry muttered "It's kind of a rule that all Weasley's are insane…"

The twins ignored this and turned to Cassidy, and she had to lean back a bit as they did so, she was in such an uncomfortable position between them. Vulnerable to attack.

"Oh," George started

"You're cruel." Fred spoke.

"We thought" Tears filled George's eyes.

"That you actually" Fred followed suit, so that she was staring at two boys with glassy eyes.

"Liked us!" they finished together.

Cassidy gaped for a moment. They did that too well. Then, she broke out in a grin, and rapped her arms around their necks. "Awww, you're so cute!"

"Agh.. you're"

"Choking us!"

She grinned widely and let them go.

Suddenly, someone clapped their hands and the whole hall fell silent, except for Lee who whispered over to Cassidy that that was Professor Dumbledore.

He proceeded to speak about how the Forbidden Forest was indeed _forbidden_ (Cassidy swore he looked over at the twins when he said this) and talked about the horrid Dementors. Then he introduced a Rubeus Hagrid as the new Care of Magical Creatures teacher (Cassidy found she liked the extremely large man as he stumbled to stand up- remembering him from outside the carriages) and the Remus Lupin from the train as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.

To Cassidy's surprise and horror, he spoke her name, "Also, we're accepting a new exchange student from Beauxbatons, Cassidy Williams." Fred and George basically forced her to stand up, and as soon as she could, she shot back into her seat.

"Meep." Cassidy slammed her head onto the table.

She knew the trio across from her was looking at her strangely, and she also knew that Lee and the horrible twins were grinning at her.

Not paying attention as Professor Dumbledore finished the speech, she only took her head off the table when Fred started dragging her by her hand.

They led her up to the Gryffindor tower, all the while introducing her to people she "should know."

"This is Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet, they're in your year." George started. Cassidy glanced over the two girls, nervous about meeting new people and being judged. She decided that her fears were unfounded as soon as they smiled at her- bright, big and happy.

"You'll be sharing a dorm with them." Fred finished. Lee had run off to go find something in the there dorm. She was a little worried about that.

"Uh… Hi, nice to meet you."

"Hey!" spoke the girl who George had named as Angelina. "I trust these two have been torturing you as much as possible?"

"Uh… well…" All Cassidy could do was smile. She instantly liked the look of these girls though.

Alicia exchanged grins with Angelina. "No matter, we'll show you how to torture them best." She winked at Cassidy, and the twins voiced their protests.

"Oh no you don't, you can't corrupt her!" Fred looked horrified, and pulled Cassidy behind him, trying to hide her from their eyes, jokingly.

"Evil succubus!" As George shouted this, another girl came up next to him and punched him in the arm. "Owwww!"

"What's this about succubus?" Lee had now joined the conversation, and Angelina quickly introduced the new girl as Katie Bell, who was a fourth year.

"They're trying to steal Cass from us!"

"Oh no, run away, run away!"

Lee threw Cassidy over his shoulder and started running towards the chairs on the other side of the common room, with the girl shrieking.

"Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!" Lee yelled, stopping behind a loveseat, with Cassidy still beating his back with her hands.

They had drawn quite a crowd; the first years freaked out, having never seen the Trio's strange antics.

Fred flapped his hands at the three girls, and shouted, "I fart in your general direction!" He skipped quickly towards Lee with George.

Angelina blinked. "They know what Monty Python is?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_**"I told my psychiatrist everyone hates me. He told me I was crazy; everyone hasn't met me yet."**_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX


	2. This Parrot Is No More

Disclaimer: Do not own anything Harry Potter- J.K. Rowling does. No, I don't feel like being original with my disclaimer, and no, you cannot cuddle with Fred or George, we don't want them to escape their cages…. And we certainly do NOT want them to start singing Britney Spears.

**Chapter Two**

_**Sir Bedevere**__ What makes you think she's a witch?  
__**Peasant**__: Well, she turned me into a newt!  
__**Sir Bedevere**__: A newt?  
__**Peasant**__ ... I got better._

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Fred and George had led her to Dumbledore's stone gargoyle, and they had stared at it for a good five minutes (the twins guessing the password with various kinds of candy) when Professor Lupin showed up.

Remus J. Lupin was a scruffy man, with shabby robes that looked as if they'd been attacked by a wild animal, and then sown up again. He had a worn face, his light brown hair already flecked with gray, though she figured he was still pretty young. Cassidy noted that while he looked ill and exhausted, he was quite handsome.

"I'm sorry, it'd be best if you don't come up right now. But I'm sure you'll be here soon, if what I've heard about you is correct." At Professor Lupin's words, the twins grinned wickedly. "The password is Candy Corn, just for future reference."

After Fred and George had run off (making Cassidy promising to tell them all about it at breakfast) Lupin led the girl past the stone gargoyle and up the moving stairs.

They paused at the oak door, and the Professor knocked with the brass knocker, Cassidy staring fascinated at its phoenix shape. A cheery "come in" responding immediately.

As they entered the room, Cassidy stared around her, trying to catch all the detail. It was a circular office, with a beautiful view. There were portraits of men and women alike, and Cassidy guessed that these were past Headmasters and Headmistresses. Silver objects were placed around the room, and she recognized the Sorting Hat from last night, as well as a beautiful sword.

"Ahh… Miss Williams, Professor Lupin. Please, have a seat. Would you like a lemon drop?" Cassidy sat down and smiled politely at the Headmaster.

"No, thank you."

"How do you like Hogwarts so far, Miss Williams?" Professor Dumbledore asked. His eyes twinkled, and Cassidy found herself more open to talking then she normally would be.

"Oh, it's beautiful here. Under the circumstances, I'm really happy to be here."

"Yes, life has been quite tragic for you lately, hasn't it?" Dumbledore smiled kindly at her. "How is your dear sister fairing?"

"She's… alright." Cassidy's little sister, Allison, was eight years old. "I feel bad for sending her back to school, but her education is important… And I know her friends can help her."

Lupin looked up, curious as to what she was talking about. Back to school? "Where does she go to school?"

Cassidy addressed the man. "She goes to the Czech Republic's Primary School for the Young Witch and Wizard. It gives a basic muggle education- science, literature, maths, and a background for our magical education." The young woman grinned proudly. "She's quite talented; I really think she's going to go far."

"You went there?" Remus was genuinely intrigued; not many British Purebloods went to primary school- they had tutors, and they never learned anything that muggles did.

"Yeah. It's really good, because if you're not interested in just learning magic after primary school, you can stay there on a special program and like learn what you need to know to… say, to go into astrophysics." Cassidy liked talking about school; she was 'strange' that way. "The school was founded in the sixties, a lot of wizards who grew up as muggles or with muggle influence didn't like knowing that their children weren't getting a rounded education- er, no offense, Professor." She apologized, nodding to Dumbledore.

"None taken. Now, I'm sure you can speak with Professor Lupin about your education later, I would like to address some more immediate manners." He took on a more serious expression, though the twinkle in his eye did not dim.

"Of course."

"Now, will you be returning to the Williams Estate during Holidays?"

"Yes, I'll need to see Allison again." Cassidy was worried about her little sister, they already didn't have enough contact and she would need to spend as much time with her as she could.

"Good. And you're legal guardian?"

"Um…" She was almost sheepish. "My mother's friend is with her new husband on her honeymoon; she won't be returning for at least another six months." The woman was an extravagant nuisance, and Cassidy was glad to be rid of her. "But we have someone taking care of the house- Allison's nanny… she was mine and my mother's as well, she's very trust worthy."

"Well, it seems you have it all taken care of." Albus smiled at this, it meant she wouldn't have too much trouble getting hold of her birthrights, and she would hopefully be able to handle the shock that was to come.

"Yeah, my step dad was pretty paranoid." His worries had mostly been for his biological daughter, Allison, but he had known that Allison was not the firstborn, and she would have to rely on Cassidy until she was an adult and received her own birthright.

He had been a good man, and though he and Cassidy had never been close, they had treated each other with respect.

"Now that we have that settled, I have a question for you." Here came the reason she was in this office, so early in the morning, without caffeine. With a mad-hatter wizard and another wizard looking at her with sad puppy dog eyes.

"Shoot."

"You know who Sirius Black is, yes?" His voice was so grave and dark, that Cassidy actually felt as if the temperature had dropped a little. She was curious as to wear the headmaster was going with this, and was trying to place where she had heard the name Black before.

"Errr… Should I?" At this, Remus was slightly surprised, but Dumbledore had been expecting this. He doubted a foreign girl who had just lost the majority of her family would want to pay attention to the darkness any longer.

"Sirius Black recently escaped from Azkaban." Adrian's large eyes widened even further. "He was a Death Eater who helped Voldemort," once again, being from a different country helped her- she didn't flinch at the Dark Lord's name. "He helped Voldemort get to the Potters, and killed thirteen people. He is believed to be after Harry Potter."

Cassidy frowned. "Poor Harry…" Dumbledore nodded, and she raised her eyes to meet his. "Not to be all of the selfishness… but what does this have to do with me?"

"Sirius Black is your father."

Next to the teen, Remus pinched the bridge of his nose. He didn't think the Headmaster should be telling her this, but what could he do? She did deserve to know where she came from, even if it would tear her further apart…

Once Remus had met the girl, he had passed on his fears to Dumbledore. Would she be able to handle having a killer for a father? He doubted she would search him out, unlike the younger Harry Potter. Dumbledore (and many others) believed the boy would try and find Sirius if he knew that the man had betrayed his parents.

Remus was worried that Cassidy would hide in her room and never come out.

"Oh. Well. Oh. That's certainly a surprise. Oh, dear." She blinked at the white-haired wizard, shocked. "I think I'd like that lemon drop now, if that's alright, sir."

Remus sighed, as Dumbledore gave her one. Soon it would be his turn.

"Um… so… He's not going to, like, come after me too, right?" Emotions flitted across her eyes, Dumbledore recognizing each of them. Fear for her and her sister's lives, worry about Harry's well-being, happiness at finally knowing who her father was, and anger at the man for killing so many.

Remus responded, taking his chance. "We don't know. It's doubtful he knows you're here, and I don't know how he'd react if he did know…"

She stared at him, trying to work something out in her mind. "What role… what role do you play in this?"

Remus glanced at Dumbledore, and the older wizard inclined his head, as if saying "answer her question, but don't tell her everything."

"Your… Your father and I were good friends before he betrayed James and Lily. I just want to be here to help you deal with … everything." His sad eyes met hers, and she sighed.

"I'm sorry Professor; it's going to take me some time to deal with this. I never knew who my father was-is, and now that I find out that he's out to kill some kid I just met? I really don't know what to think."

Dumbledore nodded sagely. "Yes, and I think its past time for breakfast- I'm sure you don't want to miss it on your first day."

"Thank you, sir, Professor Lupin. I think… I think I'll be going now." She walked swiftly to the door as she was excused.

"And Miss Williams?" She paused with her hand on the knob as Dumbledore addressed her. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention any of this conversation to Mister Potter. He doesn't know."

She nodded, and when she reached the gargoyle, Cassidy practically tore down the halls to reach the Gryffindor table.

Obviously she was joining the conversation between Harry, Ron, Fred and George a little late, and she tried to catch up.

"Forget it, Harry," said George after greeting Cassidy with a small smile. "Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, remember Fred? And he said it was the worst place he'd ever been, he came back all weak and shaking… They suck the happiness out of a place, Dementors. Most of the prisoners go mad in there."

So that was why she felt so terrible on the train… Those horrid creatures were pulling the happiness out of her- Cassidy felt like she had been mind-raped.

She knew why they were here. They were here to capture her father… Her father. Gods, the term still felt weird to her. The Dementors, creatures that fed on happiness, were here to find and capture her father… and when they did, they were going to suck out his soul.

She knew what Dementors were, she had learned about them last year in Beauxbatons. Cassidy couldn't help it, her father may be a murderer, but he was one half of the only family she had left. She wanted to meet him before he lost his soul.

They weren't even going to give him the grace of death- Muggles, she knew, considered it the ultimate punishment, Capitol Punishment, actually. The Ministry of Magic thought her own father terrible enough that, instead of killing him, they were going to make him a broken husk. She didn't believe in it.

But he had killed so many people. Her own father was a murderer… And he was going to end up food for a _demon_.

Cassidy found it sad.

"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after our first Quidditch match," Fred said. Cassidy was excited to see them play; she had heard they were a terrific team. "Gryffindor versus Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?"

She shoved a muffin in her mouth and downed a cup of coffee, content to just watch her house-mates converse.

Fred, George and Lee started a conversation about Quidditch, Lee hugging Cassidy to his side, while Hermione, Ron and Harry talked about school.

Speaking of school, her Head of House was walking towards them with their schedules. After receiving her schedule from McGonagall, Lee George and Fred dragged her and her book bag to their first class.

"Meep!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Cassidy stared at her carrots at lunch, thinking about what she had learned this morning. One thing wouldn't leave her mind- why the hell had Professor Dumbledore told her so early? He must have known she wouldn't be able to focus the rest of the day.

Well, at least she had Potions next. She always had loved that subject in Beauxbatons, and she was good at it too.

George sighed, and stood up. "Potions with Ravenclaw now." His face was resigned, and Cassidy was a bit worried… What was wrong?

"What's wrong?"

"Cassie, Snape is a prick." Fred answered for his twin.

"I don't think he could be that bad… Are you good at Potions?"

"Good?" Fred asked.

"Cass, we're bloody great." George answered her.

"But…" She moved her eyes back to Fred.

"Snape seriously-"

"Needs to get-"

"Laid." They finished together.

Lee groaned, looking a little pale. "Snape getting laid... bad images." He wrapped his arm around Cassidy's shoulders, chipper again. "You'll see, love. Now, we must be off! We've got a Potions Master to torture!"

A few minutes later, they entered the room, deep in the dungeons. Cassidy shouldered off her bag and took a seat between George and Lee, observing the people in the classroom, Ravenclaws and Gryffindors. Okay, that sounded fine.

George muttered to her that at least they weren't with the Slytherins this year, cutting off as the door slammed against the wall, a tall, dark and sneering man sweeping into the room.

He paused at the front of the room, whirling around to study his new victims. Cassidy watched him carefully, waiting to see what he would do next.

She shivered as his eyes met hers, boring into them stonily, and she tried not to be intimidated. She had dealt with things her classmates had never dreamed of, she had realized she was mortal sooner than she should have (something that took a teen a long time to learn) and she wasn't going to cave just like he expected everyone to.

She supposed this was what put her in Gryffindor.

Then, Cassidy blinked, and the man had "won."

He knew. He knew who her father was. Of course he did, just like McGonagall, Dumbledore had told them. Of course.

Cassidy wondered whether he had known her father. Were they friends? Enemies? Was her father as angry looking as the Potions Master? Or was he better at hiding his spite?

Her father was a murderer.

Her father was a _murderer_.

Her _father_ was a murderer.

She had just found out who he was (something she had never even hoped for as a child) and he was going to die. Because he killed people.

Oh, gods.

Tears filled her eyes as she started her and Lee's cauldron, and she planted her hands on the table, trying to calm her breathing. She didn't need this. She didn't need more shit in her life, more things to protect her sister from, and more burdens to bear. Fuck.

As Lee asked her what was wrong worriedly, Professor Snape swooped down on her. "Williams, if creating a fire is too hard for you, I doubt you'll be able to do anything other than whimper like a _stray._" Somehow, Cassidy knew this was directed to her parentage- or lack of- and she pulled her head up to look him in the eye- okay, ear, but she tried.

He was tall and thin, his shoulder-length black hair falling limply by his ear, his sneer making his hooked nose look even larger.

"Sorry, Professor." Cassidy said, quietly. "It won't happen again." She knew that excuses would have no effect, except to agitate him further.

"See that it doesn't."

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It was almost time for class to end, and Cassidy was pretty proud of herself. She and Lee had done very well, their potion (which was supposed to make the drinker break out in song) violet and the twins had created a near-perfect one, their own potion almost the exact shade of Dark Purple that it should be.

Sent on their way with a sneer and a snide comment, the four headed to Herbology, their last class of the day, passing through it with very little effort (though Cassidy acquired a nasty cut on her cheek that she refused to get treated.)

Her three new friends were currently dragging her around the school, showing her where various things were; the kitchens, the library (Cassidy had been filled with giddy excitement when she saw the amount of books there was), the infirmary, and etcetera.

"So, Cassidy love, what did our dear Headmaster wish to talk to you about?" Lee asked. The four had ended up in the Library at Cassidy's request, talking about the day and exchanging ideas for pranks.

"Oh, um… Just my current situation, just um… checking in on me. N-nothing important." Cassidy stammered, and Fred raised an eyebrow.

"Really," he said, skeptically. "Alright." The tension rose, and Cassidy stared at the book in front of her blankly.

"L-look, you guys… I-it is important, but I really don't know you all that well… Can we like, not talk about it now?"

George sighed. "Sure, Cass. Just, know that we'll be here for you."

"You're right, you don't know us that well, and we don't know you that well." Fred spoke next.

"But we expect we're going to be great friends, kay?" Lee looked her straight in the eyes, and she nodded.

"Kay."

They started working on homework (to the boys' chagrin) joking as they scraped away at their parchments.

"Why do they always have to assign homework on the first day?" Fred griped, his friends giving groans of agreement.

Suddenly, Cassidy thought of something. "I gotta go look for something." She answered their questioning faces.

Walking up to the front desk, Cassidy paused. "Excuse me; do you have issues of the Daily Prophet?"

Cassidy was able to procure recent issues, and bringing them back with her to their table, she ignored her new friends' looks, sifting through them until she found what she wanted.

"Ah…" Seeing the way the three boys were look at her, she shrugged and stuttered "C-curiosity."

**BLACK STILL AT LARGE**

_Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today. _

_"We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm."_

_Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis._

_"Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it- who'd believe him if he did?"_

_While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun )a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse._

Glancing down at the issue, she stared at the man in the photograph. He was a sunken-faced man with long, matted hair, his hard eyes pressing into hers like hot coals.

Oh, gods, those poor people. Cassidy massaged her temples, wondering if she could handle it if he killed anyone else. Or if he was caught.

What a fucking dilemma.

She smiled at the twins and Lee, giving them the, albeit true, excuse that she didn't know who the criminal was because of living in a different country.

But she couldn't help asking herself, even as she fell asleep in her comfortable bed, what she was going to do…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"_**There are worse things in life than death. Have you ever spent an evening with an insurance salesman?" -Woody Allen**_

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	3. A Shrubbery!

Disclaimer: Do not own.

A/N: My Czech translation might be absolutely terrible; I have no way of testing… So excuse my terrible language skills, please.

**TRANSLATIONS: **

_Pitomec_- idiot

_Malý_- little

_Sestra_- sister

**A/N: This is a short chapter, because I'm off to the East Coast- where there will be no computer access. I'm not too happy with the second half of this chapter (the letters are okay.) Oh well, I'll be uploading quite a bit when I get back. **

**Chapter Three**

"**Your highness, when I said that you are like a stream of bat's piss, I only mean that you shine out like a shaft of gold when all around it is dark."**

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_Marilyn,_

_A __lovely__ description of your new husband, you __**really **__are quite lucky. Thank you ever so much for sharing the whole of your sex life with me… And please, I'm not sure Allison needs to know about the significance of five orgasms in one go, no matter if they're good omens or not. So try and refrain from telling her, okay?_

_Enclosed is a permission slip for me to go to Hogsmeade (a little Wizarding village near the school), and I'd appreciate it if you'd sign it… You are my legal guardian, remember? Besides, I'm sure your new hubby would love to hear all about your "adventures…" Please, please sign it._

_- Cassidy_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Dearest Allie,_

_Roses bloom, flowers wilt… I promise for you, our love is like poo. _

_(Yes, I know that sucked, sue me, Allison)_

_Thank you so much__ for the marshmallows and other various objects- people around here don't have access to the wonderful muggle inventions. Some of the people here are very ignorant when it comes to muggles… oh well. Hopefully I'll be able to go to this Wizarding village near the school with my friends; it's supposed to be really cute._

_I've sent Marilyn a letter (by the way, please ignore whatever she tells you- she's a pitomec). _

_Oh yeah, you owe me five sickles. I did make friends, malý sestra. Three, actually- Fred, George, and Lee. Lee's great, you'd like him. Fred and George are twins, and they have this WILD red hair, their whole family does, I guess. All of them are really energetic and great big pranksters- different, considering who I hung out with in France… But whatever, I have friends. So, __**pbbbt**__, little sister, I'm not completely lame._

_Speaking of school- how IS it? Getting good grades, staying out of trouble (or not getting caught?)? How're you faring? I really wish you could be here with me, but yeah… it just can't…_

_In other news, I found out who my father is. Yeah. That's kinda a shocker- my head's exploding, really. I guess the Defense against the Dark Arts professor was his friend in school, so I'm going to try and bug not-so fond memories out of him…Also, the Potions Professor is a great big jerk, but I think he knew my father too. I mean, he knows his subject and all, but his attitude leaves something to be desired…_

_None of your teachers are giving you trouble (unnecessarily, I mean- nothing wrong with them beating a little sense into you __**-**__…)? OH, don't roll your eyes at me, missy, I'm your older sister and I'm going to take care of you no matter if you like it or not. _

_It's really weird, but I shouldn't write about it in a letter, so I'll tell you over Christmas break. _

_Love you,_

_ Cassie_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

_Ivana,_

_Thank you for sending the updates and paperwork for the estate, I'm glad to be kept up to date. I'm sure you can handle everything; you have been running the household for the last forty years. I'll be home for Holidays, I can't wait to see you and Allie again. I trust you'll send any important news?_

_I have a couple questions to ask you about mother when I get back, but I'm sure it can wait until I see you again._

_Love,_

_ Cassidy_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was the fifteenth of October, and the weather was growing colder every day, but Cassidy was having a wonderful time. Her classes were good (Snape was a prick, but what could she do?), she was getting closer to Fred, George and Lee- even hung out with Angelina, Alicia and Katie once and awhile- and she loved exploring the castle with them.

Despite the weight of her losses, and her worries about her father, she had started to adjust nicely.

One Thursday evening, Cassidy was doing her homework with Lee, waiting for Fred and George to get in from Quidditch practice. He was bouncing around, excited about the upcoming Hogsmeade evening, Cassidy watching, amused. The twins wandered in towards them, and started chatting with Lee about what they were going to get at Zonko's.

Suddenly, Fred and George's little brother started screeching, his pre-pubescent voice drawing the four's attention to him.

"OY! GET OFF, YOU STUPID ANIMAL!" It seemed that Crookshanks, Hermione Granger's cat, was attacking the boy's bag.

"Ron, don't hurt him!" Hermione yelled, stuff going everywhere as Ron tried to fling the cat off his bag, a rat flying out of it.

Fred grinned at Cassidy as Ron screamed for someone to 'catch that cat.' "Ron's pet rat, Scabbers… It used to be Percy's. Guess the bloody cat is hungry." George attempted to grab the cat, landing on his face instead. The whole house was in an uproar, except for Fred, Lee and Cassidy.

Cassidy rolled her eyes as everyone started to giggle at Ron, who was _still_ freaking out. George wandered back to the table that his friends were sitting at, rubbing his head.

"Awww… You poor baby, did you get hurt?" Cassidy asked in a sickly sweet voice. "Did the big mean kitty cat run away from you?"

"Shut it." He said, plopping down on her lap.

"Eek, get off!" She squealed, attempting to push him off, but instead her hands slipped down and pushed between them, her fingers bending against his butt. Cassidy's cheeks were aflame as she tried to lever him off of her. "Fred, Lee, help me!"

"Uh-uh, Cass, darling. You're not getting away that easily." George leaned against her, and the other two boys just watched, laughing. Jerks.

"Fine then, you big meanie." Cassidy attempted to move around him to reach her homework, but he was a dead weight. "Goddamn't, George, at least let me do my work!" He stuck his tongue out at her as Harry Potter made his way over to them. Ron had disappeared minutes ago, and Hermione had stomped up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. Cassidy found she was glad that she didn't have to share a dorm room with the irate thirteen year-old.

Harry sighed as he sat down with them, exchanging greetings with the boys, and Cassidy gave up trying to push George off, staring at her hands instead. She had been avoiding conversation with Harry ever since the first day of classes, feeling terrible that her father was out to kill Harry- that he had destroyed the teenager's chances at a happy life before Harry had been able to walk.

She was afraid that if she spoke to him, she would blurt everything, and not only would HE hate her, but everyone else would too. Cassidy used the ruse that she was wowed by the famous boy… She really didn't care about his fame, but he fell for it. She cared much more about taking responsibility for her father's actions, even if she knew she didn't have anything to do with it.

Cassidy had long since gotten over self-pity; she did the whole 'why me?' thing, she complained and cried and screamed, and now she just wanted to **deal**.

Yet, Cassidy couldn't help but become overrun with angst. Especially when she looked up, and was met with Harry's scar. That wouldn't even be there if not for her father.

Talking about Quidditch seemed to entertain her male friends, but Cassidy was tired- thinking _hurt_- and she excused herself (after pushing George off with hard hangs; he fell on his butt) to sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**Bernadette****: No, I'll join this conversation on the proviso that we stop bitching about people talking about wigs, dresses, bust sizes, penises, drugs, night clubs, and bloody Abba!  
****Tick****: Doesn't give us much to talk about then, does it?**

**-The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert**

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	4. Hitchcock! Psycho! Arteries! Courtcase!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything but Cassidy and what goes with her. Yeah.

**A/N: OH, I mean to have Lupin give a lecture, but I can't find my Field Guide to Demons book (haha)! It's pissing me off! SO if anyone has any ideas, feel free to share, because I can't add anything until I find that book, and considering how many books we have in this house, that could take months. **

**I don't know, I'm trying to figure out my writing style, and making well done fanfiction is a job in itself.**

**Sorry for taking forever to get this updated… excuses, excuses… **

"I love deadlines. I especially like the whooshing sound they make as they go flying by."

**Chapter Four**

"**We have normality. I repeat, we have normality. Anything you still can't cope with is therefore your own problem."**

**-Douglas Adams**

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Marilyn's letter returned just in time. Cassidy fed her owl, Athena, a piece of bacon before opening the glittery vermillion envelope.

She scoffed, and Fred looked over at her curiously. "Oh, Marilyn's such a snob- my godmother," Cassidy explained at his questioning look. "But hey," she pulled out another piece of parchment. "At least I can go to Hogsmeade!"

He grinned excitedly, and hugged her tight. "Fred… I… can't…. breathe…."

The redheaded boy practically squealed. "Hogsmeade's so amazing; I can't wait to show you all around. Zonko's has this new dungbomb out that…." Fred gesticulated wildly, and Cassidy tuned him out, her eyes glazing over as she nodded along with his almost dangerous yammering.

A few minutes later, they walked out of the Great Hall, and George slid up next to Cassidy, his voice smooth and making the hair on the back of her neck stand up.

Nonverbal communication makes up 93 of humans' communication. Most of it is unintentional- no that hand job gesture doesn't count- and almost all humans know how to read body language. Some people were better at it, and George Weasley was one of those people.

And damn, could he read Cassidy. She was like an open book to him, and he was affected by the way she felt. When she laughed at his jokes, his chest swelled with pride. When she got that distressed look in her eye, concern and the urge to destroy that grief filled him. And when George noticed the goosebumps on her arm, and the way she avoided eye contact, he grinned. George was giddy, flirtatious, and a little bit turned on…

"So, you're coming with us, Cass love?" he asked, and she smiled an affirmative. "Perfect. I can't wait to show you Hogsmeade's _secrets_…" George and Fred were so much alike, and the hormonal teenage girl couldn't help if all of their _physical_ attributes were identical. Cassidy almost tripped over her feet at the thought.

"Dork." Cassidy shook off her previous thoughts, and hit the leering boy, her long fingers forming into a fist and causing George to rub his arm and groan.

"Merlin, woman, where'd you learn to hit like that?"

She smiled sadly. "My grandma. She was a wild one- didn't take shit from anyone… I miss the old bat…"

He looked at her, lost. "What happened?"

"She died." Cassidy answered simply, her face morphing into an indifferent mask and turning to ask Lee about the Shrieking Shack.

George blinked, and his twin paused to let him catch up.

"What was that about?" Fred asked, reading his brother like a book- a picture book.

"A blatant change of subject. I asked her about her grandma- who died- and Cass just shut off." They sighed collectively, and Fred patted his brother on the back.

"Don't worry, mate, she'll open up eventually."

Cassidy, meanwhile, had pushed the small incident to the back of her mind and was currently walking with Angelina on their way too Defense Against the Dark Arts. They sat down in desks, blowing silly kisses at each other as Cassidy sat next to Lee, in front of the twins.

"Oh, Angie!" Cassidy leaned across Lee, stretching her hands towards her friend. "I miss thee already! You're hair is as soft as flobberworms, your mannerisms glorious like our charming Potions Master's! I will not be able to survive without you!" the black-haired teen gripped her chest dramatically.

"Cassidy, my stinky love! Our love shall survive through this terrible ordeal- curse Professor Lupin for separating you from me with these wretched imbeciles!" Angelina pretended to sob into her hands, and then smiled and winked at the Professor. The surrounding students looked on, some amused and all freaked out. Fred half-yelled "take it off!" and Alicia swatted him on the arm and walked to her seat next to Angelina, while attempting to give the other girl a wide berth.

"Oh, hello, Professor! We were just discussing what a kind and generous man you are." Cassidy crooned.

"Yes, I noticed." He said dryly. "Now, I'm sorry to interrupt this little Romeo and Juliet rendition, but I do have a class to teach."

"Oh, it's alright, Professor." Angelina said, grinning.

"We forgive you." Cassidy smiled innocently.

Fred and George blinked simultaneously, and looked at each other. "They've learned how to be cheeky! Our little girls have grown up!" they sobbed and hugged each other tightly. "We're so proud!"

Alicia groaned, letting her head slam against the desk. "Make it _stop_…"

Lupin shook his head, and cleared his throat. "Today we will be studying…"

XXXXXXXXXXX

Fred, George, Lee, Angelina, Alicia and Cassidy climbed the stairs towards the Gryffindor tower, chatting happily about Hogsmeade.

"What's going on?" Alicia asked, looking up to the Gryffindor entrance. A large crowd of people were pressed around it, the student's chattering, nervous. "Why won't anyone go in?" She muttered grumpily, a tinge of worry in her voice.

Angelina and Cassidy exchanged anxious looks as Percy's voice cut through the din.

"Let me through, please," Percy said and Fred took a moment out of his confusion to imitate his older brother's puffed out chest and hoity-toity look. "What's the hold up here? You can't all have forgotten the password- excuse me, I'm Head Boy." Fred and George snickered, settling at a glare from Alicia.

Then, Percy's voice rang out, much sharper than before, and the five friends tensed. "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."

He arrived only a moment later, but Cassidy had taken that time to clasp onto Fred's arm, George's hand on the small of her back comfortingly.

The Fat Lady was gone from her portrait- completely vanished- and the painting had been mutilated. It had been torn apart, strips hanging loosely from the frame and scattered on the floor.

Behind Dumbledore came Snape, McGonagall and Lupin. Dumbledore spoke "We have to find her. Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."

Cassidy shuddered as a voice echoed through the stone structure. "You'll be lucky." It said.

It was the Poltergeist, Peeves. Cassidy had been introduced to him her second week when he had dumped earthworms in her hair. He wore a look of absolute ecstasy at the sight of wreckage and worry.

"What do you mean, Peeves?" Dumbledore asked steadily, and Peeves' smile died a little. No one taunted Dumbledore; Cassidy thought that no one could be that stupid.

Peeves' voice changed to oily. "Ashamed your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something awful," he said happily. "Poor thing." He added, unconvincingly.

"Did she say who did it?" said Dumbledore quietly. Cassidy felt she knew what was happening, but she didn't want to.

"Oh yes, Professorhead." Said Peeves with the air of someone cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over and grinned at Dumbledore between his legs, and Cassidy got the impression of one of those evil fellows who tied pretty young girls to railroads- one that had previously studied as a gymnast.

"Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

Cassidy drew in a sharp breath and closed her eyes. "You've got to be fucking kidding me…"

XXXXXX

"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore told the students as Flitwick and McGonagall closed all the doors to the Great Hall. The students from all of the houses had been sent to the Great Hall, the Slytherin, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students looking lost. "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately," Dumbledore added to Percy, who looked like Christmas had come early. "Send word with one of the ghosts."

The white haired man conjured purple sleeping bags and the twins, Lee and Cassidy pulled some over behind a pillar, Fred immediately scaring off a few Hufflepuff second years in the area. Percy was shouting something about no talking, the twins blowing him off with a laugh.

After they had plopped down and gotten comfortable, the boys immediately started talking about the "special visitor."

"Why do you think Black tried to get in?" George asked his friends.

"Innit obvious? He was after Harry." Lee responded.

"Sure, but there are easier ways to get in the tower without slashing apart the Fat lady." Fred said.

George smirked at his twin. "Yeah, like offering her a good shag."

A thought struck Cassie, as she stared blankly ahead, not joining in on the conversation.

…Her father had shagged her mum to make _her_. He probably shagged Cassidy's mum a lot more than once; Cassidy knew her mum wasn't exactly Ms. Chastity.

Cassidy shuddered. Even if one didn't know her father, it was still gross to think about her parents putting on a little Barry Manilow and making "a night of it."

Yeah, that certainly wasn't helping her stress level. She was already on the brink of hysteria, and thinking about her parents humping like bunnies made Cassidy feel like retching. If she had been able to look at herself during this situation, Cassidy would have realized that the shock caused her to stress over relatively unimportant details.

It was awful, too. Her mum had loved her father, that much had to be true- even if Cassidy's mum was a little over the top, she wouldn't have allowed herself to get pregnant with a man she didn't love.

And Sirius Black betrayed Annabelle Williams' trust. He killed, and left Zira to deal with losing him and taking care of a three year old child. And now, Black was after Harry. Cassidy didn't want to think about what would happen if he found out that his daughter was living in the same tower as Potter. That she was in Hogwarts- what would he do? Would he harm his own child?

If the Fat Lady and Sirius Black had children, what would they look like?

The combined thoughts made Cassidy start hyperventilating.

At the sound of Cassidy's accelerated breathing, her three friends loved over, pausing their "slightly" disgusting train of conversation.

"Wha?" Fred blinked at his pale friend.

"Fat Lady… Black… Making babies…" At this, the three boys started laughing, and Cassidy's large eyes rolled back in her head a bit, her breathing calming slightly.

She was warped.

"They'd be chubby with violent tendencies," George cackled, and made a crack about Harry Potter's cousin, which flew right over Cassidy's head. She thought about what George had said. Did she have violent tendencies? No, not on others. She had considered self-mutilation after she found out about her mother's death, but hadn't been able to proceed with it.

It was just too horrible to think about, and Cassidy scrunched up her eyes, trying to rid her brain of the memories.

The boys started to calm down, and the lights had long been turned off, Lee was starting to drift off. The twins were about to settle down for the night when the saw the tears leaking out from her tightly closed eyelids.

"Hey… hey, Cassie, what's wrong?" Fred asked and looked at her with brilliant eyes.

"Hm…? Oh, nothing's wrong."

"Cass, love, you looked like you saw a ghost back there." George pulled her closer to him and Fred scooted behind her.

Cassidy felt safe between them. It was weird… when one of them was gone; she had noticed an incomplete feeling in the pit of her stomach. Cassidy felt empty without her twins- wait, her twins? What had sparked that?

She shivered, and Fred sighed in her ear. "Tell us what's wrong, Cassie." He ordered her gently.

"Did Black's attack worry you that much? No one got hurt, you know that." George grinned at her, and she was awe struck by the comfort that exuded from his smile.

"… I'm fine…" Cassidy pinched the bridge of her nose.

"_No_, you're not. You were practically hyperventilating earlier. Cassie, you know we're here for you no matter what, right?" Fred practically growled in her ear, disliking her refusal to trust them.

And she did know. Hell, they had already shown her (and those who messed with her) how much they cared for her; how protective they could be. So had Lee, who was really starting to feel like a brother, even after only a few weeks.

But Fred and George didn't feel like brothers. You didn't get poxies in your stomach when your brothers wrapped their arms around you. You weren't filled with an urge to giggle like a Weird Sisters groupie when they punched out Marcus Flint after he pinched your butt.

Cassidy stared at her hands that were held by George's, leaning back into Fred's touch. "Right… I'm sorry." She stifled a sob.

"It's alright- just… don't push us away though, okay love?" You're our friend, and we're like you. You're a good kid." George matched her gaze, a twinkle in his eye as Fred continued. It was freaky sometimes, how connected they were, and Cassidy couldn't deny the fact that sometimes she was jealous.

"You don't have to talk about it now, but we are expecting a chat, young lady." Cassidy gave a short giggle. "We'll find a nice private place to talk, kay?"

"Alright…"

She yawned heavily, her jaw popping. George tweaked her nose and smirked.

"Time to get some sleep, kid."

Fred and George watched the young woman as she fell asleep- in a completely non-stalker way…

They were worried about their new friend. The twins and Lee had only known Cassidy for a little while, but when they let someone into their circle, they did anything for that person. There were a few steps to take before the four were able to be "BEST FRIENDS 4-EVA!" but Fred and George were already planning on having a little chat with their female friend. They hoped that between the three of them, they would be able to make her open up and help her be comfortable in her new environment.

Fred dreamed that he could make Cassidy laugh all her pain away. George dreamed he was the Greek Titan Atlas. Lee dreamed that a vampire Popsicle was attacking him with truffles…

Little did they know, there was more than the worry of moving to a new school on Cassidy's shoulders…

XXXXXXXX

The whole school talked only of Sirius Black for quite a few days- Cassidy just had to learn to block it out. Her friends quickly learned that she wouldn't join in on their conversations about the killer, her eyes gaining a far away look.

"Hannah Abbott has been telling everyone that Black can turn into a shrubbery." Fred laughed. Even with the scare, the trio of troublemakers had made the best of it, teasing their wigged classmates.

George snorted. "She's a few vampires short of a blood bath, that one."

"… A vampire with dentures." Fred grinned at his genetic copy. Lee and Cassidy sat back to enjoy the show, Cassidy gesticulating along to imaginary music.

"A vampire that tripped and fell on a pencil."

"Stepped in the sun thinking it was just a very large lamp."

"Ordered garlic bread for his evening meal."

Lee snickered at his two friends' antics. "That last one was definitely the best."

"Nah, the dentures one." Cassidy said, shaking her head.

"Garlic."

"Dentures."

"Garlic!"

"Dentures!"

"GARLIC!"

"DENTURES!"

"Bloody hell, Garlic!"

"Nay, little horsieman!" Cassidy screeched, and pinched Lee's cheeks.

"Argh!" He swatted her small hands away and grabbed a nearby pillow, making contact between the pillow and her face.

"Oh, really? Is that how it is?" Cassie half-ran half-stumbled away from Lee, grabbing her own weapon in pillow form. "Is that how you want to play?"

Lee stuck his tongue out at the tiny girl, and she smacked him with the pillow, running behind George's chair before the boy could react. Fred laughed at his friends, and George proceeded to hit his twin 'just for good measure.'

Fred and George started beating each other, and Lee chased Cassidy around the common room, the lanky boy giving her a scare. "Cassidy, my dear, come back! I've got a present for **you**!"

Cassidy ran up the stairs to the Girls' Dormitory, putting her hands to her ears and waggling them around. She then proceeded to smack her butt and sing a song that went like 'I'm a little teapot, short and stout, you're a big poo head, so just go… pout!' It was certainly a strange moment, though it was not the most bizarre moment in Hogwarts History. It was definitely not as strange as the time Alicia stuck a banana in her bra and proclaimed that she had a Boob Boner, though more notable than Snape's experiment using his hair as a Petri dish for the growth of deadly bacteria...

Alicia had told Cassidy (with a downcast face) that the boys couldn't go up the to the Girls' Dormitory. She had perked up a bit, though, when she had informed Cassidy that the girls _could_ go up to the Boys' Dormitory. Obviously, the founders had thought that girls were more innocent than their counterparts.

Obviously, they were wrong.

Angelina grabbed Cassidy's arm as the slight girl taunted Lee from half way up the stairs. She pushed Cassidy's bag into her hands, throwing her own over her broad, athletic shoulders. "C'mon, you ponce, we've got Astronomy in ten minutes."

"What? No! I can't go down there- he'll eat me!" Cassidy struggled against the taller girl's grip, trying to run further up towards the Dormitory.

Angelina leered. "Really, he'll eat you? All the more reason _to go down __**there**_."

"You perve!"

"Ah, you know you were thinking it. Hey, Lee! Do you want to eat Cassie?" Angelina's robust shout drew the attention of not only Lee, but the rest of the Common Room's inhabitants as well.

"Sure, I could be the Big Bad Werewolf and Cassie could be little Red Riding Hood." He smirked at them, showing his left incisor.

Cassidy patted Lee's arm as she passed him, looking like a ghost next to the dark boy. "I'm sorry; I prefer real dogs, not a puppy. Besides," she threw over her shoulder, "Red is really not my color!"

"Aw, does that mean you don't like redheads?" George asked, his eyes tearing up.

Cassidy returned his question with a wink, and the two raving mad girls walked out of the Common Room their laughter bouncing off the high walls as soon as the portrait door closed.

"That was bloody fantastic!" Angelina crowed, ignoring Sir Cadogan's cat calls. As they trotted up to the Astronomy tower, Angelina turned to Cassidy. "So, **do** you like redheads?"

"Eh, generally not my type, but I can make an exception… Or two." Cassidy grinned. "What about you?"

"Fred and George are definitely easy on the eyes… plus… they're twins! But their brothers Charlie and Bill are godly." Angelina licked her lips, sharing an appreciative noise with her petite friend.

"Well it doesn't really matter, because I'm not really looking for a boytoy- I mean, boyfriend- right now."

"Yeah I know, right? I'd rather play than have a serious relationship. But boys, girls- I like them all."

Cassidy nodded, understanding. "So you fly for both teams? That's hot."

"Oh yeah, you know Madame Rosmerta, right? She's a sexy minx!"

There was nothing more invigorating for the "fairer" sex than gossiping about infatuations, and nothing more horrifying for their male counterparts. Merriam-Webster calls the giggle "laughing with repeated short catches of the breath." It is a most frightening sound. First, the male feels and irritating itch in his ear, and then goose bumps rise on his arms. Realization sets in- that ghastly noise is, in fact, a giggle! Icy fear stabs his heart ("Is she talking of me? Or insert name here, my arch nemesis from primary school! Oh me oh my, what is she saying?") Nausea sets in, and we are left with and unintelligible puddle of heart shaped goo.

XXXXXX

"…Let's just say Quidditch isn't the only think he's manic about."

"Oh, Alicia, you slag!" Katie screeched, and the other girls nodded solemnly, **attempting** to hide the amused twinkles in their eyes.

Alicia, Angelina, Katie and Cassidy had gathered in the elder girls' room for a little late night chat, nicking butterbeer and Oreos, Muggle cookies perfect for the monthly visit from Eve, from the kitchen. Their chat had so far been filled with talk of boys and makeup (not far away, the Gryffindor boys were facing terrible nightmares involving Medusa and a very large dandelion.)

"You know, Professor Lupin isn't so bad either." Angelina purred. "It's not often we get a good-looking teacher in this school."

"Ew, he's like twenty years older than us! How could you call him cute?" Katie screeched, clutching a pillow.

"Oh, just put him next to Snape, and you'll see he is much better looking than that grease ball." Cassidy grinned at her silly friend, who was currently sticking her tongue out at…everyone, unicorns included. So innocent, so naïve.

"That reminds me- Cassidy, is anything going on between you and the twins?" Alicia asked.

"Uh, no? Why do you ask? Did you hear something?" Cassidy was genuinely confused. She hoped there weren't any blasted rumors. Those damned things were never fun to deal with.

"Why do I ask? How about the way they act around you." Alicia smirked.

Katie raised her eyebrow at her friend. Now who was the naïve one? "Yeah, they're so protective of you- and they get major jealous, too."

"Well, I don't know- nothing's going on between us- but I wouldn't mind if they _did_ like me... They wouldn't, though." Cassidy sighed, practicing the old and noble art of self-deprecation.

"Why not?" Alicia persisted.

"I don't know… They just wouldn't, okay?" Cassidy's voice grew snappy, then relaxed slightly. "Just… please don't tell anyone that I kind of like them, please?"

There was a chorus of agreement, and the conversation moved quickly on, when Angelina jumped up and grabbed a muggle envelope out of her dresser. "You know Sirius Black? Okay, so don't like spread what I'm about to say around… but… he was bloody cute! Well, before he went all psycho killer-y." She amended.

"How do you know that?" Alicia asked, curious. Katie pulled her head up from her pillow, while Cassidy's hands became more active in their twiddling.

"My aunt dated him. She sent me of a picture of her and his friends from when they were in school a thousand years ago." Angelina proceeded to pass a photograph to Alicia, who studying at it long and hard and passed it to Katie. Katie scanned the picture, glancing at the faces quickly, and handed it to Cassidy.

Four boys waved at the camera, a girl holding hands with a dark hair boy laughing happily with them. Cassidy instantly picked out her father, realizing that he was, in fact, her identical, other than eye color and figure. He was tall and dog-like, and the young woman hanging off of his arm was endearing. Cassidy briefly wondered if she should be mad at him for dating women other than her own mother, and tossed that idea out of the window. Who cared? This was before they met, after all.

And it's not like he didn't betray her mother anyway.

On the other side of Black was a blonde boy smiling up at a boy with glasses and insanely messy hair (Cassidy surmised that this was Peter Pettigrew and James Potter.)

"Isn't this Professor Lupin?" Katie asked pointing at the only other boy left in the picture.

"Yeah," Angelina said, and there was a smug tone to her voice.

He was a lanky boy, with light brown hair, amber eyes and skin crisscrossed with scars. His mouth was pulled into a wide smile, and the four girls all privately noted that Remus looked much happier then he did now.

"Poor guy…" Katie said sadly. "He's all alone now; one of his friends is a madman, the rest of them dead. What a fate." There was a moment of somber silence before Alicia turned to Angelina.

"Bugger, you're right! Sirius Black was a **babe**! Too bad he's evil." She said.

The three girls admired the boy for a few moments, none realizing that Cassidy couldn't look at the picture anymore.

"Too bad…" Katie said.

"Can I have a copy of this?" Cassidy asked suddenly. It was the first thing she had said in a while, and Angelina immediately agreed, not even bothering to ask why. "Sure." The Chaser muttered the spell to copy the photo and Cassidy gave her a bright grin and put it in her trunk.

From then on, the get-together wound down, and Katie eventually left for her room, signaling the other girls to get to bed.

Once again, Cassidy thought of her situation, of her father, and of morality. Killer or not, he was her father, and she wanted to know him- or at the very least speak with him.

She considered herself an existentialist, believing that we were in control of our own destiny, that we do have a choice and fate is not predestined. So she wondered why her father had made the choice to kill his best friends. Did he realize the consequences of his actions?

She mentally shook her head. Supposedly her father had been a smart man- was he a bloody sociopath? And if he was insane, why would her mother marry him?

Cassidy wondered how her mother had reacted when she had found out what Sirius did. Did she cry? Scream? Deny it? How did someone deal with news like that?

Bloody fucking hell. This was slowly driving Cassidy mad with grief. Fucking-a.

There was one thing Cassidy knew. She loved her sister, and she would do anything to protect the only _real_ family she had anymore. Cassidy would work through this problem so Allison could have a stable guardian to care for her as she grew up and her life went to the crapper…

If there was a hell, it would be shaped after adolescence…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"**It's just a ride and we can change it any time we want. It's only a choice. No effort, no work, no job, no savings and money, a choice, right now, between fear and love. The eyes of fear want you to put bigger locks on your door, buy guns, close yourself off. The eyes of love instead see all of us as one."**

**-Bill Hicks**


	5. AN Note Good News

A/N NOTE:

So, I feel pretty terrible for never updating this… I just read through it, and it's not an awful fic- plenty of mistakes, but whatever.

Anyway, I'm almost done with school (for this year, at least) and my goal for the summer is to update this; to get over 20,000 words at the least. I have a very small idea of where I'm going with it, so if anyone has any suggestions, please do share.

So we have a deal? Yes? Alright then, in a few weeks I hope to have another chapter up.


	6. She turned me into a Newt!

**A/N Note:**

**I often feel that the books/ fanfics don't really portray these magical teenagers as, well, actual teenagers. The only rude words they ever really say are 'bloody' and 'bugger' and while in Britain that is offensive, it's not nearly as vulgar as some of the things we teens say. (I know this from lots of conversations with my friends, ;] though I'm pretty sure I would have to up my content rating if I shared them, heh. ) **

**So I'm going to make an effort to make these brats sound a **_**tad **_**less refined and more like the teenagers that they **_**are**_**. **

**So. **

**In the middle of this thing there's a lot of British Slang, and a lot of it's pretty derogatory. I also really just wanted an excuse to use all those cool words/sayings. The conversation in which they are used is a bit forced…but oh well.**

**Here's a quick reference:**

**Arsebandit: **homosexual man (derogatory… I'm against language like this, but it's how people talk, especially teens)

**Beard: **A woman who is seen to be romantically linked with a gay man, so protecting his true sexuality from public scrutiny (I never heard this one before, but it seemed fitting)

**Needle dick: **must I REALLY explain this one?

**Slag: **prostitute (such a cool word, even though it's so very derogatory)

**Scuzzbucket**: A despicable or objectionable person (heh)

**The Brits are rude… and much much more original than Americans. **

**I like it. ^_^**

**ALSO**

**Right now, I feel like my biggest problem is the story is pretty superficial. Any suggestions? (Seriously, nothing wrong with constructive criticism). **

**Chapter Five:**

**True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country.**

**-Kurt Vonnegut**

Cassidy was sitting with Hermione in Gryffindor's Common Room when their Quidditch team came traipsing in, looking worse for wear.

"Hey guys, how was practice?" Cassidy asked, taking in her friends' different expressions: Oliver Wood, irritated at the twins, who were jumping up around and teasing him; Angelina, Alicia and Katie trying to hide their giggles, and Harry, who looked just plain angry.

Oliver answered her. "Fine, except for the fact that we're not playing Slytherin. We're playing Hufflepuff instead." At this, the three female chasers sighed and giggled again.

Oliver glowered, yet soldiered on. "They have a new chaser, Cedric Diggory, he's supposed to be very good. They're not taking it seriously enough. We can_not_ lose this match!" As he continued his diatribe, with only Ron Weasley listening (while Hermione glared at him from the opposite couch- mad at him for some reason or another), Cassidy turned to Angelina.

"He's the sexy one, yeah?" Her Czech accent was fading a bit, and she was adopting the British style of talking more and more.

"Strong and silent…" Angelina sighed.

"I wouldn't kick him out of bed," nodded Alicia excitedly.

Katie just muttered something about whipped cream, handcuffs and chocolate frogs, turning bright red.

"Well then. Guess I have a good reason to go to the Quidditch Match after all," Cassidy mused.

Fred and George, who had been glowering while this conversation had taken place, jumped on Cassidy now.

"Cassie, love, aren't we a good reason?"

"Hurts our feelings, it does-"

"To think, we thought you cared for us!"

"But no, all you care for is that stinking Diggory boy!"

Cassidy rolled her eyes at the two boys who were currently sobbing into her shoulders, and turned to Harry.

"What's up your bum, Mr. Potter?" Cassidy had become more comfortable talking to him, as she had with everyone. She was able to block out the fact that her father had been the source of his parents' deaths as long as she didn't look at his scar. It wasn't really that good of a system, so it meant she was only able to talk to him about once a week, and not without stuttering quite a bit.

The wild-haired boy was a bit surprised she was talking to him, but he needed someone to rant to, and she was as good as any. Harry had noticed this change in behavior as well, but he chose not to comment on it. He, like everyone else, had generally accepted that she was awed by him and his past; but despite being wrapped up in his own problems (what with a serial killer out to get him) he _had_ noticed that she tended to tear up around him. This was not normal behavior for those who admired him. "That prat, Malfoy, is pretending that his arm is injured and they're using it to get out of playing! They're just afraid of playing in a little wet weather, the bastards." Harry ignored Hermione's cry not to swear, and continued to rave about Malfoy, his anger joining with Wood's tirade.

"That bloody bastard Flint-" Oliver's face was turning purple.

"_Fucking_ Malfoy thinks he can fucking-" Harry's hair seemed to stand on end.

"Wusses out just because of a _little_ rain-" A vein bulged in Oliver's neck

"Lie about every damn thing! 'Ooh, Daddy, the big mean hippogriff was mean to me! Let's **kill** it!'" Harry flapped his hands about like a princess.

"It's bollocks it is!" Oliver turned towards his teammate.

Cassidy was afraid that Hermione was convulsing from all the cursing.

"Bollocks!" They were now waving their arms at each other, and finished the rant together.

"HE'S NOT GOING TO GET AWAY WITH IT!" The two adolescents stomped off in different directions to do God-knows-what, their mannerisms furious.

"We could help!" One of the twins called from next to Cassidy's ear, but he was ignored. The two red-heads had moved onto the arms of the chair Cassidy was curled on, but still insisting on 'resting' their hands on her.

"They rather sounded like you two," commented Katie to Fred and George.

"Except all with the angry…" whimpered Cassidy. Hermione was still twitching, and Ron looked confused about whether he should be worried about his friends, or greatly amused. Finally, like the older Gryffindors, he chose amused.

"That was bloody awesome!"

XXXXXXXXXXXX

It was the Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff match, and Cassidy was out in the stands of the Quidditch Pitch, huddled up with Lee, trying to hide under an umbrella. Rain swirled around them, and Cassidy's hair stuck to her face.

She had never particularly enjoyed Quidditch, but with friends such as hers, she was obligated to go and watch the game; even in the nastiest of weather they deserved her support.

They watched as the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor players rose into the air, Lee (McGonagall wanted a match without his colorful commentary) pointing out to her who each member was, passing her his pair of Omniculars. All she could see was rain. It was terrible. They could see nothing through the rain, and even when Lee shouted something to her, she could barely make it out.

Cassidy tried to keep one eye on the twins and another on Harry (and another on her three Chaser friends), but the rain kept sticking to her eyelashes.

This continued for a good amount of time, when she was taken surprise by Lee shouting in her ear. "They see the Snitch! _Watch_!" Everyone around them was standing excitedly, their cheers futile against the strong wind.

Harry and Cedric were racing towards a golden little ball that only they could see, when the whole stadium grew even colder…

The crowd grew still, and a few gasps of fear sounded near Cassidy.

Lee gripped her arm tightly as they noticed the dementors in the Quidditch field- at least a hundred, if not more. With such a concentration of the demons, the crowd could still feel their effect, even high up in the stadium. Cassidy suppressed a sob as memories she didn't want invaded her brain. Next to her, Lee wasn't having as hard of a time as his makeshift companion. He turned to her, trying to get her out of her state, but a scream of fear drew his attention away.

"_HARRY!_"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lee and Cassidy rushed to the castle. They had just watched one of their housemates, one of their friends, fall fifty feet. Cassidy was trembling even as she entered the warmed hall to the Hospital wing.

They rushed into the wing, the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Hermione and Ron turning at the noise.

"Cassie- Cassie, come here. It's okay, he's _okay_." Fred opened his arms to his friend in comfort, and she pressed her head against his chest. George was right next to them, and he stole the girl from his twin's grasp, resting his chin on top of her head. Cassidy was generally uncomfortable with such blatant displays of affection, even from friends, but the twins and Lee were so relentless in their fondness for her that she just allowed it, even reciprocating the platonic affection- especially when it came to Fred and George.

Lee engaged in discussion with the rest of the Quidditch team about what had happened, everyone purposefully ignorant the exchange between their three friends.

"Shhhh. It's alright, everything's alright," whispered George in her ear. Fred gripped her hand next to her, and then shouted in shock.

"Harry! How're you feeling?" The boy was so good at being blasé about even the most major of events; even such as one of his good friends falling to his probable death…

Cassidy looked up and smiled weakly at the boy in the bed, trying not to cry again. She knew she was being emotional- per usual- but she couldn't help it. Seeing someone fall to their death could be quite traumatizing. She knew she wasn't alone in these feelings, as she could see Hermione Granger from across Harry's knee. The bushy-haired girl looked like a drowned rat (much like everyone else) and her eyes were bloodshot with worry.

It wasn't just her- Alicia was shaking, Fred and George were white under the mud that was slopped on them, and Angelina and Katie were holding back tears.

"What happened?" asked Harry, sitting up quickly. Cassidy recoiled a bit in shock.

"You fell off," offered Fred. "Must've been – what – fifty feet?"

"We thought you'd died," said Alicia quietly.

Cassidy whimpered and dug her head even farther into George's embrace. She couldn't listen as they continued talking, trying – and failing – to block the image of Harry's fall from her mind.

The idea of losing another person, even one who she wasn't particularly close with, petrified her. She did care for him quite a bit; especially when worrying about her father's _involvement_ in his life, and she was so glad he was okay.

The next ten minutes passed by quickly, the team discussing if they could still win the Quidditch Cup, until Madam Pomfrey finally threw them out.

"We'll come and see you later," Fred told Harry. "Don't beat yourself up; you're still the best Seeker we've ever had." He and George proceeded to steer Cassie out the doors, the team and Lee waving goodbye to Harry.

"Cassidy, love, you alright?" George asked his friend.

"I'm fine… Just a little sniffly." She responded, looking at the floor.

He nodded, not really believing her excuse, but accepting it all the same. The threesome had fallen a bit behind their friends, but they could still hear their conversation.

"Did you see Malfoy? He's a bloody scuzzbucket."

"Yeah and that Parkinson chit? She's such a slag."

"Probably a beard, too. You just _know_ Malfoy's an arsebandit."

"He doesn't know though- I doubt his balls have even dropped yet!"

"Ha, right? He's probably got a needle dick."

"They're loony, yeah?" Fred grinned down at his female friend, pulling tight in his arms. "Gods, you're shivering like a leaf!"

George turned to his twin, concerned. "She is?"

"Aye, she's cold as ice!"

Their eyebrows clenched together at the same time, causing little wrinkles to appear on their foreheads. This mirror-action made Cassidy giggle.

"Let's get you upstairs, and you can go take a hot bath." Fred and George hurried her along, practically carrying her with them.

George and Fred both knew that Cassidy was hiding something - or more than one something – and that it was tearing her apart. She always tried to be strong, to live up to the house she was placed in, but sometimes they watched her, and they knew she was breaking apart. Since meeting their Czech friend, they had become instinctively gentle with her, and it wasn't tiring them out a bit. They adored her, as did Lee, but they were starting to think they were taking the wrong approach. She didn't need to be coddled, she needed to be encouraged!

They needed to think of a good prank.

XXXXXXXX

"Miss Williams, if you would like to cause the death of yourself and everyone else in this classroom, then please, do add the bloodwort to your cauldron." Professor Severus Snape gripped Cassidy's arm, stopping her from destruction. His words were soft, but filled with malice, and his black eyes glittered angrily at her.

Cassidy nodded "thank you, Professor," and stepped back. This allowed her Ravenclaw partner, inaptly named Serena to add the correct root, her jowls jiggling nervously.

Cassidy had grown to enjoy Potions, much to the dismay of her fellow Gryffindors. Professor Snape still found many reasons to mock and degrade her- her potions, her family (her secret relation to the infamous Sirius Black most prominent), her house, etcetera. Nonetheless Cassidy had found that his unrelenting insults tended to be real advice and helpful, at that. Fred and George still bristled every time Snape graced her with his thoughts, but Cassidy appreciated them for the truth; despite their harsh nature.

And this was precisely the reason she was staying after class. As the rest of her classmates filed out to go to dinner, Cassidy shooed her friends away. "I just gotta ask a question about the homework. I'll meet you in the Common Room after dinner- I have to go to the library and find some books." She explained to the twins as they looked back at her; she knew they wouldn't follow her into the library. As intelligent as they were, they tended to avoid the place like a Troll Toilet.

She waited until everyone was out of the room, slowly putting her books in her bag. Finally, when it was just her and Snape grading papers in the room, she approached his desk, her shoulders set determinedly.

"Professor Snape… May I ask you a question?"

He looked up from a particularly atrocious essay, and regarded her, annoyed. "Miss Williams, don't just stand there like the useless lump you are. Out with it."

"…Professor… What was…What was my fa-father like? Professor Lupin said you knew him, and… I just want to know." She was fearful, but not of Snape; she was afraid of what he would say.

"Curiousity killed the cat, Miss Williams."

Slowly, Cassidy grew surer of herself. She could take whatever this man threw at her. "Yes, but satisfaction brought it back."

Eyeing her, Snape stood, his chair thrusting backwards. He stalked around the desk, his robe cracking. "Your _father_ was an egotistical, self-absorbed wretch. He believed that he was above the law, that he had the _right_ to act on whatever superficial emotion he wanted." In a moment of weakness, his eyes softened. "…He didn't deserve your mother…"

Cassidy gawked at her Professor, causing the seemingly cold-hearted man to reawaken and glare at her. "Now, I suggest if you have any more questions you ask Professor Lupin. He knew Black _very_ well."

Understanding that the strange statement was a dismissal, Cassidy made a hasty retreat. She hoped she could comprehend what had just transpired.

When the door to his dungeon slammed closed, the lonely Potions Master sat down and hung his head in his hands with a heavy heart.

XXXXXXXX

From the beginning, Cassidy had been able to tell Fred and George Weasley apart. They had only tried switching on her once in the beginning of their friendship, but it was quickly shot down when she had asked Lee if this _really_ worked on their mother. Lee had just laughed at the shocked faces of the twins.

It had turned out Cassidy had a knack for observing people- even twins as close as Fred and George had different personalities.

Fred was always leading the way, while George would just amble along, setting the actual pace. Often, one of them would get distracted, and the other would wait patiently for him, or join in on the interest. Lee was often there too, laughing at their short attention spans; or on the rare occasion, trying to hurry them along.

While Fred was quick to anger and quick to defuse, George was generally pretty laid back unless one of his family or friends was attacked, and then he turned into an angry dragon-man (figuratively, of course). This best shown when George and Cassidy were walking to Charms and a Slytherin fourth year bumped into her and proceeded to call her a dirty whore and told her to go lay on her back, where she belonged.

George had beaten seven shades of shit out of him.

Cassidy had been furious, but secretly she found it endearing. This was a problem, as Cassidy did not particularly condone violence, even when it was meant to protect her.

Both Fred and George insisted on touching her, innocently, but often. At least one of them always had their hand on her arm, her shoulder, her butt… Well, that had only happened once, and Fred had almost lost his hand. Lee often had a protective arm across her shoulder as well, but his touch never gave her the same tingles that the twins' did.

They were her best friends, those three boys. She absolutely adored them, and was growing more and more comfortable with them every day. Maybe soon, she would be able to tell them the truth about what had happened to her family.

She didn't know if she could tell them about Sirius Black, though.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**The quickest way to a man's heart is through his chest.**

**Roseanne**

**ANOTHER AUTHORS NOTE:**

**I'm sorry this took so long to get out, I know that I promised it would be earlier… But I'm having issues with where I want to go- I pretty much have the idea of where it will eventually end up, but I don't have the middle. **

**Now, I know that there are people reading this; I do get Story Alert notifications, you know. It would be MUCH appreciated if I got more reviews- constructive criticism, ideas, etcetera. Please.**

**Also, I am looking for a Beta Reader, either for this story, or for any of the other fanfictions I am working on. Anyone interested? ^_^**


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